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California

A flap over a mayor’s prayer breakfast is stirring up controversy in the city of South Pasadena, Calif.

The event drew attention because of involvement by local officials – although city leaders insist they didn’t organize the breakfast. According to the South Pasadena Review, City Manager Sergio Gonzalez told residents at a public city council meeting that despite its name, the event was private in nature.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has moved to block a ballot measure that would legalize vigilante violence against the state’s LGBT community. Harris has asked a state court to grant her the authority to prevent the measure from becoming eligible for a public vote.

As attorney general, she is currently required to draft a title and summary for the measure – even though the initiative in question would authorize the execution of gay people.

In Modesto, Calif., public school students are learning about religion in class – but it’s probably not what you think. The geography and world religion course, which is required for all high school students, is described as an objective overview of the world’s belief systems, and according to a recent article in the Modesto Bee, it succeeds in doing just that.

The school year’s begun and debates over sex education have already spilled into school board meetings across the country. In Arizona, officials in the Tempe Union High School district are attempting to insert dogmatic views into a sex education course to be launched this fall.

For the past week or so, I’ve been receiving press releases from a public relations firm representing students and former students at St. Lucy’s Priory High School in Glendora, Calif. They are not happy.

It seems that Ken Bencomo, who taught English at the school for 17 years, was recently fired from the Catholic institution. These folks want him to get his job back.